How Jewish Authorities in Palestine were Challenged by the Actions of Jesus of Nazareth
Multiple reasons why Jesus' actions got him into trouble with the authorities of Palestine.
Jesus acted in ways which were against the laws that the Jewish people placed.
Before Jesus arrived in Palestine these religious laws were followed by the Jews, but as Jesus began to act out he came in conflict with Jewish authorities regularly.
The Jewish authorities was ran through 'Religious High Court', more bitterly known as the 'Sanhedrin'.
The 'High Priest' was the chief religious functionary in the Temple of Jerusalem, whose privilege was to enter the inner sanctum.
The 'High Priest' was the head of state but had very little real power, as well as this the Jewish authorities were also in charge of the temple at the time of Jesus.
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Jesus' vision was the restoration of the 'Kingdom of God', this threatened the Jewish religious establishment.
Jesus' interpretation of the spirit of the law often conflicted with the very literal interpretation of the Jewish law.
Jesus claimed that 'Sabbath' was to be ignored if some needed help, Jesus criticised the hypocrisy of those who upheld the law, but displayed no compassion for those considered to be unworthy.
in Luke 14: 1-6 Jesus challenges the Pharisees on their interpretation of the law by asking, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?"- Luke 14: 3
The Pharisees were adamant on keeping Sabbath as a holy day, meaning that no one could work on a Sunday, even to help somebody in need.
Jesus blatantly disagreed with this law of 'Sabbath', Jesus believed that good deeds should be permitted on Sabbath.
Jesus believed that 'Sabbath' was made for good for mankind, not mankind made for the 'Sabbath'.
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Another one of Jesus' actions that challenged the Jewish aurthoritees was the Cleansing of The Temple'.
When Jesus travelled to the temple he was outraged to see people trading, exchanging & selling goods.
Jesus believed that the temple was a sacred place and that those who go there should be there to worship God.
As a result of Jesus' anger he flipped all of the tables that the venders were trading on, and shouted how these people "turned his fathers house into a den of thieves".
Mathew 21: 12-13 ~ “Jesus went into the temple of God... and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves... My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves”.
This action of Jesus became known as the 'Cleansing of the Temple'.
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The final aspect that I will discuss is from Marks Gospel, it is the story of a paralysed man who had to be let down through the roof to meet Jesus because of the crowds around the house.
Jesus' first words to the paralysed man were "Son your sins are forgiven - Mark 2: 5
This action of Jesus caused instant anger for the scribes & Pharisees, due to them believing that only God could forgive sins.
What Jesus had done amounted to blasphemy in their eyes which is a very serious charge.
Jesus then went on to cure the paralysed man to demonstrate the authority of the 'Son of Man in Earth', this aggravated the authorities even more.
Jesus was constantly found in the middle of questionable events which allowed his actions to be challenged by the Jewish Authorities.
All of this conflict that Jesus came across with the Jewish Authorities built the reputation for him being a "villain- like" character, in the eyes of the authorities.
Jesus' goal was to let the jewish people know about the Messiah, although his methods often angered the jewish authorities.
Once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, to burn incense & sprinkle sacrificial blood.